Gang rape of minor: Satna residents demand arrest of accused

BHOPAL: Thousands of residents took to the streets of Satna town on Sunday and took out candle march demanding arrest of six accused in the gang-rape of a minor. Police have failed to arrest the accused even after 9 days after the minor reported the matter.
On August 1, a bandh call was given in Satna town during which scores of women gheraoed state's power minister with buckets full of kerosene threatening immolation if the accused were not arrested.
Senior police officials transferred additional superintendent of Satna Abhishek Rajan after protests but police failed to arrest any of the six accused so far.
"We are taking all measures and have sent several teams to arrest the accused," superintendent of police, Satna Sanjay Kumar told TOI. Police officials have also increased reward on arrest of all the six accused from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000.
Besides, locals have also pasted posters of accused across the town.
Traders association spearheading protests claimed this is not the first case where police failed to arrest accused. "Law and order in district is in a poor state due to police inaction. We are traders and want to do business but have no other options than to protest," president of Vindhya Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Satna Vivek Agarwal told TOI.
Agarwal was participating in the candle light march.
Women of city will go to colleges and schools on August 3 and make students aware of deteriorating law and order situation in the district, Agarwal said.
On July 24, survivor told police she was gang-raped by four people, who also filmed her and sexually exploited for six months.
Main accused in the case are named as Abhishek Singh and Niharika Singh, children of Congress janpad panchayat member from Sohawal janpad, Maya Singh.
Other accused are Harsh Singh, Ayush Singh, Rishika Singh and Vishal Singh. Niharika and Rishika allegedly lured the minor to the native place of Abhishek, where she was gang-raped. The survivor was a friend of Niharika, 23.
Accused also made an obscene video of the survivor and were blackmailing her since then, police said. Senior police officials declared an award of Rs 5,000 on accused and assured protestors accused would be arrested within a week.